Angels Fall [Closed/Open]

[oathshackledbird]

Characters: Sephiroth (neverbeamemory ), Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (oathshackledbird ), Cu Chulainn (puppy_lancer ), Waver Velvet (fionnuisce ), Suzaku Kururugi (swordofzero ), Patrick Dawn (bashfulshifter ), Veronica Madaraki (stitchedupbodyguard ), Ryoji Mochizuki (notsogrimreaper ), Naoya Toudou (imperialsun ), AU Sephiroth (pinnaculum ), Asagi (irreverence ) and anyone who wants to visited a locked up Sephiroth in the second prompt.
Setting: Floor 62 (Fight)-Closed and Floor 43 (Incarceration)-Open
Format: Beginning in prose. Pick your poison after that.
Summary: Months ago, Sephiroth took control of Ryoji and made him fight Diarmuid and Yukiko. That fight culminated with Sephiroth forcing Ryoji to kill himself in front of them. Diarmuid swore there would be consequences for these actions, but held back because of a shaky truce made between Waver and Sephiroth in the interests of moving the collar fluid research along as fast and smoothly as possible. That truce has been broken, and Diarmuid has learned some very disturbing information about Sephiroth's past. For better or for worse, the time for waiting is at an end.
Warnings: Sephiroth is a warning to himself as he will not be holding back. There will also be language, likely mentions of forced suicide, mind control, violence, blood, injury, and death. This will be updated if needed as the fight progresses.

Floor 62 (Fight)-Closed, Friday 11/15:

This had all started months ago when Sephiroth had discovered that he could manipulate and control Ryoji's mind after the boy made the mistake of insulting him. At first he had only played with Ryoji, shifting his emotions and causing him to act in ways he never would toward those he cared about. However, that hadn't been enough and soon things escalated, culminating when he first forced Ryoji to fight his adoptive father, Diarmuid and his good friend, Yukiko, and then made him kill himself in front of them. The actions were not only a violation of Ryoji's very self, but of his rights as a human being, something Diarmuid swore there would be consequences for. In the Tower, though, things are rarely that easy and after 'speaking' with Sephiroth at the Midsummer's party that Cu Chulainn had thrown, Diarmuid realized that just killing Sephiroth in retaliation would have no effect on the man. In fact, he would probably be pleased. As a result of this realization, Diarmuid put off his revenge, searching for a way to make it matter. His revenge would be further put off when Waver and Sephiroth declared a shaky truce so that everyone's energies could be focused on what was more important--the collar fluid.

To say that Diarmuid didn't like Sephiroth working with something so important to the whole Tower would be an understatement, but he was well aware of how much more important the research was to them all than any individual hatreds they had. That was why he let things lie and did his best to avoid causing problems.

Then, Sephiroth broke the truce. Not only did he break the truce, Diarmuid realized as he was nursing his wounds and fixing the minor damages to the printing press afterward, Sephiroth was up to something. Sephiroth could have all too easily killed him, Diarmuid had learned from Reno. He could have as easily as breathing destroyed the whole section of library they were fighting in. Instead, not only had Sephiroth left Diarmuid alive after knocking him out, he had only fought using Diarmuid's own stolen sword.

Why? The obvious conclusion in Diarmuid's mind was that he was hiding something. Something big. Something that left him not wanting to draw attention to himself. Something that probably meant bad things for everyone in the Tower. And that was why this confrontation couldn't wait any longer. It was no longer just about revenge for what Sephiroth had done to Ryoji.

It was about protecting them all and making sure what happened on Reno's world, didn't happen here.

That was why, after talking to those closest to him and securing their help and the help of a few of their friends, Diarmuid had sent Sephiroth a letter asking him to meet him. The letter itself was simple, only enough to get the man to actually come as opposed to ignoring him. It held no lies, but it held no details either, leaving plenty of space for wrong assumptions. Wrong assumptions that Diarmuid was counting on.

Was it dishonorable? Well, Diarmuid had said Sephiroth brought out the worst in him and this was just another example of how true that was. But, it had to be done. In Diarmuid's mind, there was no other choice. If he must sacrifice his honor to protect his family and everyone else in the Tower, he would do it.

At least, it was his choice this time to take these dishonorable actions instead of being forced to do them by another's hand.

As Diarmuid enters the floor, his eyes immediately scan it, and he is pleased to see that aside from the one who is supposed to be there, no others are on it. That will soon change when his friends join him, but for now he has asked them to wait before entering. He wants to make sure he isn't walking them into a trap, especially after what the younger Sephiroth had told him about the elder's suspicious not long ago.

Sephiroth has his stolen sword, which Diarmuid is glad for since part of him had not expected the man to bring it. The same part that had wondered if he would actually come at all.

"So you are less of a coward than I thought..." Diarmuid's voice is cold and detached, much like his expression, and he plans on keeping himself that way. There will not be a repeat of his loss of control in the Library.

Floor 43 (Incarceration)-Open, 11/16 to 11/20:

Floor 43 is often called the prison floor by those in the Tower because it is filled with cells. Cells that strip a person of their powers and can only be unlocked from the outside. They are a great tool for keeping those who cause problems from causing them as long as a person can get the troublemaker into one to begin with. That task is a little easier when the person who needs to be locked up just died in a fight and has almost two hours of sleep paralysis and numbness to wait through. Since there is really no other way a person can get someone as strong as Sephiroth into one of those cells, it shouldn't be too surprising that someone from the fight yesterday has taken advantage of Sephiroth's death and moved him into one of the cells. It is there he stays, watched over by a loose guard of people. Every so often, though, there is a break in the guard which allows people the chance to taunt talk to Sephiroth for a short time.

(OOC: Please do not attempt to free Sephiroth in this prompt as he will be getting let out in a separate log. Thanks!)

Section Links:
Fight-Floor 62
Incarceration-Floor 43

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

[To be honest, it should be a fatal mistake--letting himself be distracted--and as soon as Diarmuid stops yelling at his brother, he realizes what he's done. That is why the sudden shove out of nowhere doesn't surprise him as much as it might have otherwise. Sephiroth might be a lot of things, but he is no fool and only a fool would let an opening like the one he had just presented go without acting on it. That is why he had wanted so badly to keep something like this from happening.

There is no way to stop himself from being thrown into his brother and Rick, but Diarmuid reacts quickly and pushes away from them. He hopes that Rick will be startled enough to dash off giving his brother time to clear his mind and refocus on the fight. Meanwhile, Diarmuid spins, pulling his shorter sword from its sheath to desperately try to block since he is not in the right position to be able to get Gae Dearg around to block fast enough. Unfortunately, Sephiroth's sword is much stronger than the one that Waver made for Diarmuid here in the Tower and that, plus the extra strength Sephiroth has put into the swing, causes the sword to snap like a twig. Diarmuid's eyes widen as it happens, memories of another time and the original version of this sword doing the same thing. Breaking exactly when he needed it the most.

He had already been twisting away from the blow even as he had moved to deflect it and that is the only thing that keeps Diarmuid from losing his arm and perhaps his life right then. As it is, the blade slices into his upper chest, striking a rib and shattering his collarbone before tearing out of the top of his left shoulder. Instinctively, Diarmuid finishes moving away from his attacker even as his arm falls uselessly to his side, the hilt of his broken sword tumbling from from numb fingers.]

Ah...

[Diarmuid squeezes his eyes shut for a split second, refocusing and doing the best he can to rid his voice of the pain that is coursing through him.]

Don't worry about me! Focus on him! We have to organize and coordinate if we want to win. Stop attacking so haphazardly!

[And then he stumbles backward, unconsciously toward Waver.]

[puppy_lancer]

[Before Sephiroth's move, Lancer had hopped off Rick so he and his brother could stand closer to each other.]

Brother, I love you, so please...

[He means to as Diarmuid to tell him the truth. He wouldn't judge. Not too much, anyway.]

[He never gets a chance to finish as Sephiroth's shove sends Diarmuid flying into him. He stumbles even as Diarmuid pushes away from both Cu Chulainn and Rick.]

[As soon as he stops being disoriented, he raises his spear to try and help Diarmuid parry Sephiroth, but he's too slow by a few crucial seconds. He watches in horror as Sephiroth's blade cleaves into Diarmuid and sends his brother's blood splattering everywhere.]

Brother!

[He can only spare a quick glance at his brother and Waver before he moves, throwing himself at Sephiroth and stabbing at his enemy with his spear.]

Kid! You! Little Sephiroth! Hurry up and heal him!

[He calls out, hoping the child heard him.]

[fionnuisce]

SHUT UP--!

[Waver snarled viciously in the other Lancer's direction, patience having been apparently ground to dust in the past few seconds alone.]

If you want to bitch and moan about your precious fucking morality, then get out of my sight and do it somewhere else! What the hell is wrong with you that these are your priorities now?! Shut your fucking mouth and fight!

[Seeing Diarmuid injured because of his brother's poor timing had pressed very hard on Waver's last nerve. In response Volumen Hydragyrum rose in a multi-headed hydra of myriad tendrils, arching high into the air. Waver himself stepped closer to Diarmuid--his shield could guard both of them as long as they stayed close together. He was at least grateful to hear someone else could heal--Waver wasn't remotely equipped for that. The lecturer ground his heel into the sand, taking a rigid stance and throwing his right hand forward.]

Scalp-! [Extending from the ground to high above the magus's head, each liquid tendril shaped itself into a razor-edged whip, all of them swinging sharply down concentrated on one point--Sephiroth himself. He wasn't expecting to land a hit so much as drive the soldier back, following with a thrown glass vial that kicked up thick white smoke around Sephiroth himself. If he was lucky, he'd just bought them a few seconds' time.]

Everyone calm down and focus--don't just attack haphazardly. Split off into pairs or groups and strike in tandem if you can, from as many angles as possible. He can't stop everyone.

[The situation had made Waver show a rare expression--he was angry, which made him more dangerous than ever.

[pinnaculum]

[Although his attention is primarily on Veronica, Sephiroth continues to be mindful of the battle, taking note of strengths and weaknesses. It's useful information.

He speaks to Veronica, however.]

I will not be injured.

[It's not exactly trust that makes him say that, it's simply that he and the other Sephiroth aren't enemies, and he thinks the other man understands him.]

I will see that you are not injured.

[Then he hears Lancer calling out to him. He's reluctant to leave Veronica at this point, so he does cast a healing spell--however, at this distance, in the midst of such chaos, with everyone moving so quickly, it's likely to go awry, to heal the wrong person or to miss entirely.

As Sephiroth's loyalty is not decided, he may not be as worried as he should be about Diarmuid's well-being.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick follows orders as they're given to him in a numb state of adrenaline-fueled panic. The fact that the younger Sephiroth has discretely wandered off to check on Veronica only marginally eases his nerves--particularly since, as he watches her while Lancer has him parked near the back, she apparently is refusing to leave. This is not ideal!]

[And things worsen rapidly when his divided attention picks up on the heated argument between his companions, but Laurence's flighty nerves keep him from shifting back to intervene in case he needs to run away. This ends up being a wise move.]

[The horse bucks and flees at the first signs of telekinetic assault, coming to a skidding halt some distance from the floating Sephiroth's blind spot before his eyes, as color-poor as they are, catch the bright hue of blood. He shifts.]

--D-Dia--Diarmuid--!

[The startled gasp is probably too quiet for most of the group to pick up on--least of all Rick, as his ears start to ring and his vision goes red and he really, really has to try and keep himself from losing his mind entirely. Not that he does a very good job of this.]

[You want them to coordinate their attacks, Waver? Sure thing. Here's a distraction.]

[Taking a page from the silver-haired kid's book, the orange cat dashing towards Sephiroth's back is easily able to duck and weave between the feet of his fighting companions, quickly closing the distance before launching himself at his target's head. His front paws are declawed, which means they won't do as much damage as he'd like, but really Rick is aiming to crawl over Sephiroth's face and give his extremities a friendly nibble.]

[And by that, I mean tear off his fucking nose.]

[notsogrimreaper]

[And joining in all the screaming is one more voice, as Ryoji recovers from the fireball attack and calls out. He's transformed into Thanatos, so his voice has an extra layer to it that makes it sound particularly creepy, but the fear and desperation that can only come from Ryoji when someone like family gets hurt still shows through.]

Father!

[He ignores the battle for now, hurrying over to Diarmuid's side to see if he's properly healed... If only Thanatos had some healing abilities. He kneels down beside him, and despite his appearance, he's watching over Diarmuid almost gently.

Once Diarmuid's okay, well... that's when the anger will kick in.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

You're not hurt, t-that's good. [She nodded with relief. At the boy's concern though, she shook her head.] There's n-no need to worry about me though. I've been though hell and back.

[She paused, her face blanking as her senses kicked into overdrive. The breaking of bones, the scent of fresh blood; she could sense it all.

Veronica turned just in time to watch as a man was gruesomely struck down by the man she now recognized as the one that almost attacked her before. The others' reactions mirrored her own. To attack someone who was talking with what she could only presume was family... despicable.

And then she saw Rick. Of all the people that she thought she'd see in this fight, he was the least expected. She tried to call to him, but it was in vain. There was no way he would hear her in this chaos. As quick as he became human, he turned into a cat, and darted away towards the enemy's blindspot, leaping at him with intentions Veronica could quickly guess. Watching it all, Veronica suddenly felt... angry? Anxious? People were in danger, her friend was in danger. She had to step in, this was what she was built for. And these people needed a more coordinated attack anyways, might as well lend a hand.

From out of the young woman's cloak slid two different bladed weapons. A simple steel broadsword, and what looked to be a hand-held guillotine blade. Standing unafraid, expression steeled, Veronica darted off towards the enemy, weaving though the larger combatants with the greatest of ease.]

Stay there! [She shouted over her shoulder at young Sephiroth.] And be careful!

[swordofzero]

[He saw the green light growing in Sephiroth's hands, his eyes flashed red and the next thing he knew he was around the back of the man, out of harms way watching people scramble. He recovered quickly, and began making his way back into the battle. He saw Lancer and Diarmuid arguing, though he was still focusing on the battle.

He saw the flash of the sword and heard Diarmuid's cry. He sped up, hearing Waver shouting and though he didn't quite catch the words in all the confusion he understood the tone. He saw the flash of orange running towards Sephiroth and gave up trying to circle back round, instead firing another shot at Sephiroth's back and charging towards him once more.]

[neverbeamemory]

[The moment that Diarmuid's sword snapped, Sephiroth knew that the tide of the battle was starting to turn in his favor. Effortlessly Masamune carved through flesh and bone, then once free of it's marks body Sephiroth willed himself backwards to dodge the next attack that would surely come.

Lancer's counter attack with his spear rips across the top of Sephiroth's thigh as he danced around where the weapon was aimed. Deep enough to stall a further attack as Sephiroth retreated to avoid the worst of what Gae Bolg might do. It was just as well that he paused as metallic tendrils raced once more to slash at him. Masamune is able to deflect alright but Sephiroth was being driven further back away from the injured party and his entourage.

The thick white smoke enveloped him and drew him further back. In the next instant there was pulling at his hair behind, dragging his head back as a weight latched of around the top of his head. Paws seemed to seek out eyes as Rick scrambled to get his cat form in a position to bite at his face; Sephiroth's balance in mid-air was knocked as he made a grab for the ginger furball with his right hand - once a handful enough grabbed he would fling the feline as far away from him as he could.

There was a gunshot from behind and Suzaku's bullet penetrated into Sephiroth's back, jolting his form unexpectently as it met an area close to the root of his wing, crashing Sephiroth's telekinetic concentration much as in the way he found a knee meeting the sand. It was, however short lived as Sephiroth got back up and turned, firing another, smaller fireball at the attacker who had somehow managed to get behind him.

This battle was quickly escalating as Sephiroth again had to reposition himself to account for Suzaku being behind him, he ripped yet another telekinetic wave towards the group gathered around Diarmuid - hoping to break one of them away so that he could dash in again for another attack. Once more willing himself into the air in the meantime, urging cells inside to prioritize healing. He's taken quite a few more slashes now and they would only slow him down if left to bleed.]

[irreverence]

[This is turning into a real serious clusterfuck far more quickly than she'd care for.

Diarmuid's injury registers- but only vaguely. She's in battle mode, and anyone who can't avoid an injury becomes a liability. She writes him off until the injury is dealt with, climbing back to her feet after the knee to her gut and the fireball that had followed. But his smugness at having caught Diarmuid off-guard is almost palpable- and that's good for her.

Smug assholes tend to be easier to knock around.

She slinks around to his other side, grateful when Suzaku distracts him with the bullet to his shoulder- because even as he pushes himself into the air, she's following, hair spearing into whatever part of him it can- as sharp as Waver's Volumen Hydragyrum, but with Asagi's special brand of calculated viciousness driving and directing them.

She uses them to drag herself close- close enough that nothing short of another fireball will probably be of any use, though even if he manages to bring that sword up in time, she'll gladly let it try and cut past her cloneblade armor. So long as the extending spikes on the knuckles of her armor find their place in his face and the blade pushing out of the armor at her knee as she drives it forward after her punch finds its way into his gut.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Again, Diarmuid curses himself for having let his guard down--for having let his brother distract him when he knew better. Not only can he not really fight, now he is a liability. He can't even focus on what exactly is going on in the fight. He just knows that they are managing to drive Sephiroth back. Though, of course, they aren't going to listen to his words when he tells them to not worry about him. They care about him too much.

Well, most of them do. To be honest, Diarmuid is not surprised that the healing his brother calls for never comes. Letting the younger Sephiroth come along, even after the information he had given Diarmuid, was risky at best. At least the boy doesn't seem to be actively helping his older counterpart. He just...isn't really helping them either and, perhaps, it is just Diarmuid who he doesn't wish to help since Diarmuid set up this fight. In the end, that is fine as long as he doesn't let anyone else be hurt for things that are ultimately Diarmuid's responsibility.

Unconsciously, he moves closer to Waver again, trusting that Volumen Hydragyrum will protect them both as long as he stays near his friend. In addition, it gives him a chance to watch Waver's back. He might not be able to do much else right now, but at least he can do that. Even if it is the last thing he does in this fight.

Because, it might be. While he hadn't noticed at first, as time passes Diarmuid is starting to feel more...wrong. Wrong in a frighteningly familiar way. His body is getting heavier, and it's getting harder to think straight. More so than the injury and blood loss should be causing. Servants are more resistant to those things, after all.

Something is wrong, and that means this fight needs to end. The sooner, the better. He doesn't want these people here without him to defend them. It's his fight.

Diarmuid hides all of this when he looks at Ryoji who is hovering, so concerned, nearby. Though...is that blood on his lips?]

I need to your fight, son. Fight for me. I can't any longer. Keep these people safe. Don't let him win. Please...finish this.

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku moved again and when he next came to his senses he was a good few feet away. Diarmuid and the others were blocked by Sephiroth but he could hear the words and they didn't sound good...

He gritted his teeth and charged again, letting anger drive him. He knew Diarmuid was a fighter, and could handle things, but he still hated that he was hurt, that he might be dying. Even if he would just come back.

He swept his sword low, at Sephiroth's legs.]

[fionnuisce]

[Waver didn't need to look over to Diarmuid to know the state of things--their empathic link covered it quite well. He was left with a very unsettling ache in his chest at the realization of what was going to happen and how little he could do to prevent it, and it was that which finally sent him flying off the edge.]

Enough. [He reached up and pulled out the elastic holding his hair back; with that action came a small pulse of magic energy in the air. It wasn't overwhelming or even particularly strong, but it was very much a change in Waver himself. A magus' Magic Circuits spread throughout their body; for those with longer hair, tying it back could restrict prana flow for use in particularly pressing situations. For him to have done that was an indication that Waver was turning to his last resort. Black hair fell around his shoulders, eyes burning with a mix of frustration and rage as he stared down Sephiroth.]

[Part of Volumen Hydragyrum split off from the automatic shield, then split again into long tendrils that raced along the ground, engraving itself into thin and deep lines in the sand. If one paid attention, it wouldn't be impossible to realize it began to take the shape of a wide magic circle with a moderately intricate pentagram of sorts within it.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Rick!

[As Veronica ran towards her foe, she saw the red feline get flung away by the man with one wing. She could do little other than hope that he landed on his feet as she swiftly passed him.

Her foe was big, but not the biggest she'd ever fought. He was running towards them though. And the heat shooting off of him did horrible things to Veronica's infrared vision, but she kept going. When both of them were close enough the girl hurled herself at him, lashing out with her steel-toed boots first and then her blades in an attack pattern unique to her weapons of choice. She wasn't looking to mortally wound him, not yet, just piss him the hell off and divert his attention.

After seeing what he could do at long range, she supposed that being up close was better anyways. This guy didn't look like he could rip her to shreds anyways.]

[puppy_lancer]

[When Sephiroth backs away, Lancer doesn't pursue. Instead, he only gives a feral grin and waits for Sephiroth to throw Rick off. As soon as Rick is sent flying away, he calls out to any of his comrades who are still near Sephiroth.]

Get back.

[His voice is a growl, as if he's holding back some part of him that wants to explode.]

[He waits for a minute or two for those still fighting to heed his warning, and then he crouches and charges, regardless of any who might be stuck in his range of fire. He covers only half the distance between himself and Sephiroth before leaping to the air.]

[Once airborne, he arches his back and throws Gae Bolg with all his strength. It looks like a scarlet streak of fire as it heads toward Sephiroth, whizzing at speeds that would fit a bullet better than a spear.]

GAE BOLG!

[This is the secret second ability of Gae Bolg. It sacrifices its prana efficiency and curse-based accuracy in exchange for overwhelming power. It takes all of Lancer's prana and explodes it to blow away any enemies within its range. At full power the burst is too strong for almost any shield, magical or material.]

[Lancer had used this only once before in the Tower, when he had given himself over to his rage in Ganon's dark world. Now, though not lost to the throes of his riastrad, his anger is enough to keep him from using Gae Bolg's usual abilities.]

[He wants Sephiroth dead. Completely erased. Blown to smithereens. And he wants it done quickly.]

[pinnaculum]

[Sephiroth wishes he could explain why he won't be hurt, but it would give away too much, so he simply follows after Veronica, teleporting quickly, back into the fray. If he were the type to sigh, he would have. Everyone rushing in thoughtlessly is not an effective strategy, and he is sure some of them are going to be even more seriously injured, if not killed. They have let their emotions get the better of them. It is all the more reason not to trust them.

Nonetheless, he will not abandon them, still intent on helping them if they require it. He moves into the middle of them again, looking to see if any of them are in need of healing or protection.]

[notsogrimreaper]

[Funny, but Ryoji is the same as Lancer right now. Ready to fight and win against this monster that hurt his adoptive father. Thanatos lets out an angry howl as it waits for an opening, hovering around the group eerily.

Thankfully, Lancer's attack clears the way, and Ryoji can follow up the devastating ability of Gae Bolg with a Megidola, positioned so the blast shouldn't hit anyone but Sephiroth, and cast so it'll make impact just after Lancer's.

If that doesn't do enough damage, he'll rush back in and stab him. Anything it takes to end this fight quickly and get Diarmuid somewhere where he can recover.]

[bashfulshifter]

[There are many things happening on the beach at present. Rick is, perhaps fortunately, not among them.]

[As soon as he feels Sephiroth's hand catch the scruff of his neck (and the odd, tumor-like growth hidden within, which the attacker may or may not have noticed), he knows the worst is about to happen. The cat is slightly more optimistic about their fate when he's tossed--until he rights himself for landing and realizes that they're headed for the deep ocean. Then things deteriorate very quickly.]

[He hits the water hard, like slamming into a sturdy wall, violently knocking the air from his lungs moments before it consumes him. Rusty promptly decides that he's had enough of this abuse and abandons his post, forcing Rick to shift back. Senses shocked, nausea and pain churning in his chest, he desperately gasps for air but receives salt water instead. Where is the surface? Is he still sinking? Why aren't his arms working? His lungs involuntarily heave and he sucks in another mouth full of water. His limbs splash and flail in alarm.]

[The only thing that keeps Rick from drowning then and there is Mittens. The tiger already knows to keep a level head in precarious situations as these, and his confidence is only bolstered by being in water. As soon as he notices the human mind start to panic, he takes advantage of his mental distraction and takes over, likewise forcing a shift. The tiger easily paddles to the surface and recovers. Replacing the water in his lungs with what should be there takes more time and effort than he would prefer, slowing his approach to shore, but his agile swimming makes up for the relative drop in speed.]

[It also gives him plenty of time to calm Rick down so they can plan their next move. Veronica is always a concern, and from the looks of things she's taking a page from his book and acting as a distraction. This is not something Rick is okay with--he will have to take the weight off of her, definitely, make himself a more immediate target again. An idea for this springs up when he sees Waver's weird mercury stuff carving a shape around the battlefield. He must be planning something big...but Sephiroth can fly, at any time, and if he leaves that circle...probably bad things will happen? It's a hunch.]

[In any case, the Gae Bolg explosion has no doubt knocked their target to the ground again, and Rick wants to keep him that way. As soon as he makes it to shore, the tiger wastes no time in running up to the silver-haired villain and lunging for one of his legs, trying to keep him rooted in place.]

[imperialsun]

[Being in a battle between residents had not been part of Naoya's plan that day, but it was hard to ignore that explosion from the Gae Blog as he came walking down the stairs. Without thinking much, he quickly ran down the remaining floors that separated him from the battle, arriving inside to see mostly people he had only seen in passing attacking someone else. The guy was giving them a run for their money if there was so many people on one side...

He quickly spotted Ryoji in Thanatos form, and ran in the middle of everyone, interweaving between the injured and those still standing up.]

What's going on?

[His voice is almost demanding....and angry. He doesn't expect people to answer him right away, but he's already running to be closer to Thanatos' side. If Ryoji is fighting this guy, then he's pretty sure there's a good reason. Naoya will figure out as it happens. Bluish light emerges from under him as a giant sea serpent appears as it casts Tarukaja - the spell will boost attack power. He needs to see who is injured but he's not as stupid to step in a war zone without some form of precaution.]

[neverbeamemory]

[Asagi's sharp, knife like hair follows him as Sephiroth takes to the air once more. Stopping him short at around only a foot or so, finding purchase in his right forearm even as Masamune works almost too-quick, left-handed, to follow to deflect the other small spears. Sephiroth turns sharply to yank his arm free, gushing forth another short-lived spray of blood-

And turns right into that spiky punch, gouging holes right through his cheek in a blink and then the deeper sound of a thicker blade passing into a heavier body of flesh precedes the burning agony of being stabbed by her knee up into his gut. Sephiroth strongly wills another telekinetic wave outwards from himself to get that blade free and throw Asagi back away from him at the same time. He hunches over in the air for a few beats, right hand pressed firmly over that hole, thicker blood and other things dripping from through gloved fingers into the sand before the flight becomes too much for his powers to handle - as well as the pull at regeneration which now automatically rushes to close the new wound first before it becomes fatal.

Sephiroth drops to the sand just as Suzaku comes in for his legs and the silver haired man does his best to dodge around the attack and attempt to parry it. The sword doesn't quite make his legs but does nick at the side of his knee as immediately Sephiroth counters with a swift kick with the other leg, aimed at Suzaku's head. Waver's drawing of shapes in the sand with his blob of mercury is the furthest thing from Sephiroth's attention.

He stumbles a little, into the limited space he has between those closest to him at his juncture before catching another flash of metal coming in. It's testament to his endurance and the power of his regenerative ability, how he instantly ignores the quickly closing hole in his gut and swings Masamune again up with both hands to deflect, engaging Veronica in an impressive tit-for-tat, taking very opportunity he saw to get inside of her defense-

At least until Lancer strikes. There is but a break in the attack which Sephiroth didn't pay enough mind to and he catches only a glimpse of the flaring bullet-like spear before it explodes at his feet. Sand, fire, and an overwhelming pulse of unstoppable power erupts and this time he's airborne but not of his own making. Sephiroth comes down hard onto his back several feet away, hearing for now-real tiny bones in his wing snap upon impact. His ears ringing and even his regeneration slowed under the shock of the attack. Masamune also, is blasted out of his grip by Ryoji's follow-up. The great sword coming to rest on the sand nearby.

Disoriented, aching tremendously, but thankfully still healing; there is no more blood gushing from anything anymore at least, Sephiroth scuttles back using his elbows, then hands and finally manages to get focused enough to bring legs-

Thanatos' rush back in and attempt to stab him is met with a quick movement on his back to dodge, throwing all of his power into a swift telekinetic blast to knock the monster back as well. He needs the room to get back up and can't allow them to all now pile on top of him.

But then there is all of a sudden a great weight pressing down on an ankle at a suddenly noticeable moment and Sephiroth peers down himself, the great mass of bloodied body and tattered leather he is becoming, at the tiger. He narrows eyes and then both aims his other booted foot at the tiger's head and fluidly re-summons Masamune to his grip - following with a great pincer-like stab down at the tiger. Once he's in a position to rip his foot free, Sephiroth is quick to get back on his feet and open up a chain of lethally charged slashes in Rick's direction.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick is, for a moment, triumphant in having successfully grabbed hold of Sephiroth's leg, growling through the flesh of his ankle and giving him a good shake. And then he looks up and sees those vengeful eyes staring down at him--]

[--he really hasn't thought this through, has he?]

[His vision flickers black as a boot comes smashing down on top of his head, knocking him staggering sideways as he blinks the stars out of his eyes. This is probably a good thing, because this keeps Masamune from taking off his head--though it still leaves its mark. The sword stabs deep into Rick's shoulder, cleaving a clean line through his scapula and back out the crook of his front leg, nearly severing it in the process.]

[The sword draws back and leaves behind it a trail of blood and burning agony. He's incredibly fortunate that his lung wasn't punctured in that shot, but honestly Rick isn't feeling so lucky right now. He howls, makes a bounding leap to duck around Sephiroth's side--promptly collapses when his leg crumples underneath him. He desperately rights himself, only to have another slash go along his side, followed by another, and another...]

[Somehow, through adrenaline or sheer terror, the tiger manages to find a break in the strikes and leaps away, fleeing unevenly several steps before his leg gives out again. He tries to recover again, shuddering in pain and exhaustion on his working limbs, but they, too, fail him, and he falls into a heap on the bloodstained sand.]

[At this point Mittens realizes that there's nothing more to be done, so he leaves his post. The now human Rick is too focused on slowly dragging himself away to try and call him back.]

[Probably the only thing that will save Rick at this point is if someone distracts Sephiroth long enough for him to escape. It's a gamble that he's not likely to win.]

[irreverence]

[Honestly, it's a little pathetic how worked up this guy gets when someone injures him.

Worse is that he's getting all worked up over a shape-shifter, and not someone who'd actually done some serious damage, like Lancer. But she supposes that's probably for the best- she might actually have had to get angry if he tried to go for the currently-recovering heroic spirit. The opportunity isn't one she's going to miss out on though- while the injured would usually be left to die, she figures she can kill two birds with one stone. Or in this case, save one and further injure the other.

At least Sephiroth is a little predictable by now, and the wave that had knocked her back had been used to land her a little ways away from the blast radius of Lancer's attack- she'd thank him later for never using that against her in a spar- and she's just regaining her footing when her eyes hone in on the tiger situation. She's close enough to act, so it's with a displacement of sand and air that she moves forward, pushing the cloneblades to pick up speed and blocking the over-long sword with one of the blades on her forearms.]

Really?

[Hollow and unimpressed, she raises her eyebrows just the slightest bit at Sephiroth over their crossed blades and, bracing her weight on one leg, brings the other up to kick at his midsection as hard as she can to drive him back, extending the blade of her heels a little to add a little more injury to insult and then following after him to get him away from the rest for a few moments.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica's moving with the quickest of reflexes, jabbing and swiping at Sephiroth, only to be deflected at each turn. The guy was fast, she had to give him that. He could quite easily overcome her, but her smaller frame lent a hand though, and she was easily matching each of his blows and looking for her own spots to counter. With the others quickly joining in, and Rick coming in as well, she was positive that this wouldn't take long.

And then Rick gets stabbed. She can only watch as the sword is impaled in the tiger's shoulder and blood begins to pour out. The tiger is then slashed in horrific fashion before it finally manages to leap away and then collapse, slowly reverting to its normal, human form.

She stands there for a moment, in an odd daze of sorts, watching as her friend goes off wounded. It lasts so long that the only thing that knocks her out of this daze is pain. Sephiroth had swung his blade again with freakish speed, managing to slice through her left ear and shoulder. As she stepped back from the sword wielder, Veronica could feel the warm artificial blood dripping down her face. She was still prepared to fight though, but when Asagi came in, she took her chance and darted towards her fallen comrade.

She kneeled beside him, looking over the wounds. God there was so much blood...]

Uh, uh....uh! D-don't worry, Rick! W-well g-get h-help. Y-you'll b-be fine...

[bashfulshifter]

[Dazed from blood-loss and pain, Rick hardly even registers that Sephiroth has been pulled away from him--hardly registers that the blob of color blocking his vision is Veronica, come to kneel by his side as he still pushes himself away, feet and shivering arm kneading uselessly against sand soaked in his own blood. It's not a sustainable activity, and it ends soon enough as a wave of agony forces an anguished scream, drowning out his companion's reassurances before he collapses for good.]

[Some moments pass as the pain numbs and he tries to regain his bearings. Sephiroth's sword may have missed its mark the first time, but his expert hand has carved open enough arteries that his wounds bleed freely and profusely. They are surely fatal.]

[Rick comes to this realization with an odd calmness. It won't be the first time this has happened to him--in so many weeks, even--but at least this time he won't be dying alone. It is strangely comforting to let his eyes drift open and to see Veronica hovering next to him. Her words are lost on him, but they sound anxious. His hand spasms open, trying to grab hold of her own so he can get her attention.]

...I-I'll...b-b-be o-okay... [He flashes a weak smile through gritted teeth, not realizing that he's echoed Veronica but in a much different tone.] ...I'm n--not...g-going a-a-anywhere...

[The feeling suddenly leaves his limbs as his blood pressure plummets, rendering his hand limp and thoughts unpleasantly fuzzy. He is going to pass out, Rick realizes. The slightest hint of alarm crosses his unfocused gaze.]

--Be--B-Be c-c-careful...p-please... [His eyelids droop and exhaustion takes over his fear, preparing him for a more tranquil slumber.] ...I'll...I-I'll s-see you...t-t-tomorrow...

[Rick loses consciousness rather suddenly, and even after the bleeding stops, he doesn't wake up.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Barely feeling Rick's hand blindly find her own, Veronica took it in a soft grip, trying not to hurt him any more than he was already. She wasn't aware that he couldn't hear her, but it didn't really matter anyways.]

Y-yeah... i-it'll b-b-be okay. We'll g-get that one k-kid.... get y-you healed up... we'll... we'll.....

[But she knew it was already too late. She knew it was the moment the sword sunk deep into his shoulder. The injuries were way too many in quantity to heal from naturally, and the internal damage was probably even worse. She should know, she'd given injuries like this thousands of times like this before. There was no way they could stem the blood fast enough, but she hoped against hope....

And it was all for naught. She felt his hand go limp in hers and his body slow until it was entirely still. Veronica could only sit there, suddenly a fifteen year old girl who just had her dear friend die in front of her. Blood dripped down from her head onto his body.

All at once there was a change in Veronica. The feeling in her left arm was slowly starting to disappear, clearly an artery had been cut, but she was resistant, she was built to last and she was really, really angry now.

Her blades were in her hands once again, gripped tightly enough that her nails dug into the skin. All at once, she stood up and turned, facing her enemy with a new expression of hatred than before. He might kill her, but she was going to try to kill him first.

With little more than a flick of the wrist, the silent assassin sprung forward towards sephiroth, moving a little slower than before, but nevertheless determined and severely pissed off. At first she apparently runs right past him but bounces back at the last second, spinning into his near-blind spot and swinging both of her blades at him, ignoring the blood spraying from her sliced ear.]